Kean: Garwood Candidate Should Step Down Over 'Racist' Posts

GARWOOD, NJ — Sen. Thomas Kean, R-Union, is among several politicians asking for Garwood Republican candidate Jesse Wilson to step down from the upcoming election after they say he shared racist social media posts.

"Senator Kean strongly condemns racism and bigotry in all its forms," said Kean's campaign manager Theresa Winegar.

Winegar also noted Kean's attendance as a special guest at a kickoff campaign party on Saturday for Wilson and another Gardwood Republican Council candidate, Joseph Nicastro, saying: "Had the campaign been aware of these social media posts, Senator Kean never would have attended this event."

Kean is running against Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski for the seventh congressional district seat in the US House of Representatives.

Here is a photo of Nicastro (left) and Wilson (right) with Kean:

"First and foremost, our campaign apologizes for aiding Mr. Wilson’s candidacy. Senator Kean is calling for him to step off the ballot," Winegar said.

Winegar pointed to an insidernj.com article alleging Wilson shared racist, homophobic, and misogynistic content on social media.

Wilson or the Garwood Republican Club did not respond to Patch for comment.

Other politicians also called for Wilson to step down.

"I am disgusted by the blatant show of racism from Garwood Republican Council Candidate, Jesse Wilson. This speaks to the moral character of the Garwood Republican Party for putting forth such a candidate. Even Republican Senator Tom Kean Jr. is calling for him to step off the ballot. Garwood will always be about love over hate, every minute of every day. #GarwoodStrong," Garwood Democrat Mayor Sara Todisco said.

"As a former Garwood Republican Councilman and current candidate for office in Union County, I take pride in serving every person regardless of their beliefs, race, or ethnicity. In that breath, I too join Tom Kean and call for Garwood Republican Candidate Jesse Wilson to immediately withdraw from this year's race amidst his social media postings of racism and bigotry. I shared the ballot once already with him in the primary and that's one too many. I do not wish to share it with him again" said Joe Sarno, who is running for Union County Freeholder as a Republican.

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